increasing Sellement
In Letter N. 379 of the 26th Inst., written by the Colonial Secretary here, in furtherance of instructions from His Excellency the Governor, I am furnished with an Extract of a Dispatch received by the last Mail from the Rt Hon the Secretary for the Colonies, in which my claim for House rent, in lieu of the Residence of which I was dispossessed, is disallowed.
In Dispatches No. 23 of 23rd June, and N. 19 of 17th September last, Her Majesty's then Secretary of State for the Colonies was pleased distinctly to recognize and Confirm my Claim, and it appears to me that such a Collision of views between those expressed in the above Dispatches, and the one Communicated to me, must have arisen from some misapprehension of the entire merits of the case, as I have previously stated; and I am therefore induced to submit Extracts of certain Documents Recorded in this Office, to which I cannot think due Consideration has been afforded; in the confident assurance, that a perusal of them will lead to a decision of the Question more favorable.
I would beg, with great deference, to observe that although, as a general rule, Civil Officers may not be entitled to Houses or Lodgings at the Public Expence, yet in this Colony several instances exist in which an allowance instead thereof (or residences) are so provided. Document marked R. shews that a free residence was specially granted to the Marine Magistrate instead of an addition to his Salary. Document marked B. relieves Lieut: Pedder from the duties of Marine Magistrate; and Document marked C. shews that when so relieved from the duties of Marine Magistrate, and transferred to the Chief Magistrate's Office, the right to a rent-free residence ceased.
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